1.06.2013

Empties: December 2012

My last empties post from 2012! I've loved doing these and will continue doing them throughout all of 2013. It will be quite interesting to tally up and see how many products I actually manage to finish in a whole year!

Biotherm Huile De Douche Oil Therapy for dry skin
This shower oil is not cheap and so I was expecting quite a luxurious consistency. Unfortunately it didn't even kind of deliver. It feels just like the cheap stuff you buy at the supermarket. It's runny and so goes everywhere but where you want it. You also end up having to use quite a lot of the stuff as a lot doesn't even go a long way. It also didn't moisturise or care for my skin very well. Compared to the shower oil by Eucerin, one of my favourites, the Eucerin wins by miles. Definitely not something I will be purchasing again. Even if I got it as a present I would actually bother trying to return it.

Kerastase Biotic Bain Bio-Recharge for Combination Hair
I was hoping this would sort out my too-quickly-oily-hair so that I wouldn't have to was it as often, but no such luck. It also didn't leave my hair feeling very nice, but actually a tad dry. This is normal when shampooing as my coloured ends are a bit on the dry side, but still not this dry. All in all it wasn't a bad shampoo, it was just ok. Not something I will be purchasing again.

Lancome Hydra Zen Nuit - click here for review -
If you've read my review of this you'll know just how much I love this night cream. It was a sad evening when I scraped the last bit of this out and I am certainly looking to buy it again sometime in the future. For now I am quite pleased with my Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Night Treatment Cream and want to stick to that for a while so I am not buying this unless the Night Treatment Cream suddenly proves to be catastrophic. Comes highly recommended from me though, a true favourite!

LUSH Eau A Rome 100g
I bought this while holidaying in France thinking the small bottle wouldn't last too long, but boy was I wrong. I haven't used it everyday since the end of the summer, but very frequently and I only finished it now. I used it mainly as a toner and rarely as a face mist. It smells heavenly, calms and nurtures my skin, softens it and leaves it comfortable. I am good on the toner front right now and want to "work through" what I've got but definitely something I'd be happy to buy again.

Helena Rubinstein Prodigy Powercell The Eye Care 3ml
This was a lovely eye cream. It didn't wow me just as much as the La Prairie one, but it's not far off. It's comfortable, moisturises well and gets rid of any dehydration lines. Definitely something I'd love to try more of.

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed for Normal or Combination Skin 75ml and 5ml
I've already talked about how much I love this in a favourites post and also when I finished the other deluxe sample I had. Makes my skin feel clean and comfortable without drying it out. It has also made my skin blemish free when using it. The only thing I don't love about this is the smell, it smells a bit like washing up liquid. But other than that it's a great product that I have already bought the full-sized version of (soon the be featured in a haul).

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector for very dry skin
This hand cream is too heavy for use during the day, but perfect for over the night. It really helps my very dry hands feel good and moisturised and so I have no complaints. I have a dozen hand creams I need to go through, so I won't be purchasing it any time soon, but would definitely be happy to whenever the time would come when I needed a new intensive hand cream.

Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Serum 7ml x2
I've been using this for about a month now, and still have a few more samples of this to go through so I suspect in the end it will be like having used a full sized serum. So far so good, I can definitely see an improvement in the size of my pores and my skin overall. I will leave it for when I've finished them all to say more.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair 7ml x2 - click here for review -
After finishing my Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum I decided to go back and use the samples I have of the Advanced Night Repair. I've used this in the past and have written a review of it already. I remembered it being good, but had forgotten just how good. I absolutely love this serum and while I have a brand new serum by Origins that I got for christmas to try, if that one doesn't pan out I will most definitely be going back to this one. It's simply amazing.

Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris 10ml
Love this. Absolutely love this. I love the smell, how it makes my skin feel and look. It's very gentle and refreshing, but doesn't dry the skin out like so many other toners do. I would definitely consider buying this when I run out of toners.

Clarins Huile "Anti-Eau" Body Oil 2ml x5
I think we can all agree these have become a sort of permanent fixture in these posts now. These are of a different type though. I would actually dare say that I prefer the Huile Tonic, but all in all they are pretty much the same. A lovely product for those evenings when you want a little treat.

Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate 3ml
This is good, but not great. It moisturises well enough and I don't have any complaints about it, it just lacks that certain something, the x-factor if you will. Can I say I found an eye cream boring? Cause I think that's it. It's just a boring one to use. Nothing wrong with it though, but I don't see myself buying the full sized.

Clarins Serum Anti-Pores Dilated 3ml x3
This is now the end of the samples I had of this stuff. In total I've used about 8 of these totalling at 24ml. I quite liked this serum. It's light, absorbs quickly and doesn't clog pores the slightest or make it oily. It showed some improvements with pore size initially, but I didn't see much more of a result from continued use. It was a nice enough serum, but I don't see myself purchasing the full size anytime soon. For now I am enjoying trying the Estee Lauder version.

Dior Hydra Life Pro-Youth Sorbet Creme for Normal/Combination skin
I used this as a night cream when I was at my family's house over the holidays and have to say I loved it. It moisturised well without being greasy and left my skin well balanced, clean, clear and comfortable. I have too many moisturises too count at the moment, but when I've finally worked my way through them this is a moisturiser I'd consider.

Lancome Eau Micellaire Douceur 15ml
I've actually had the full sized version of this before and ended up really loving it. It was my makeup remover of choice before discovering the Bioderma. I love them both, but prefer Bioderma mostly due to it being way cheaper. This removes makeup very well and doesn't irritate my typically sensitive skin or sting my overly sensitive eyes.

La Prairie Anti-Aging Eye Cream SPF 15 3ml
I already raved about this in my last empties post. This eye cream is bloody amazing. It moisturises my eye area to perfection without it going puffy or oily during the day. The added bonus of it having an SPF 15 takes it to that next level or absolute eye cream bliss. Highly, highly recommended!

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara Sample
This is a great mascara, it really is. I don't know why no one ever talks about it. It gives good volume and length without clumping. It's really black, it doesn't smudge but the formula is also not too dry (or wet!). I really enjoyed using this and would definitely consider buying the full size. However, I still prefer Dior's Extase and YSL's Faux Cils so when it comes down to put down the big bucks for a mascara I think I'd still opt for those. This is very close to being just as good as those though, perhaps it is just the gold packaging it lacks?

DECEMBER TOTAL:

Normal: 5

Deluxe Sample: 13

Sample: 10

Jumbo: 0

2012 TOTAL (Since July)

Normal: 43

Deluxe Sample: 17

Sample: 75

Jumbo: 1

So there's my total for 2012 finished then. Quite a lot for just 6 months I think. And from looking at the amount of samples I have tried out quite an amount of products since then. For 2013 I really want to try and finish what I have. There are so many half empty things standing around and I want to really try and finish things up and clear some space out. I also am starting to miss the days when I could buy something new with good a good conscious as I was actually all out of what I was getting to replace it with. I could probably go a year without buying a new cleanser or moisturiser that's for sure. Not a theory I want to test out though! Not right now, anyway. You never know..

Samples are great! I've been lucky to get to try so many things, but they have really turned me onto some products I don't think I otherwise would've given a second glance - so it works out for everyone :D And yes, he he, miniature things are always better! :D x x